If you are overweight you probably know of hundreds of ways to lose weight; you may have even tried many of them. Obviously, if you are still over-weight it means that none of them has been successful. Diet and exercise are well-known factors in weight loss, and it is unlikely that any weight loss programme can succeed without them, but there is a third factor which is equally important and often unrecognised.
Psychological Aspect
Your psychological state can have a great impact on your food intake and your commitment to your exercise schedule. With a negative outlook, and when results don’t occur immediately, one can easily get disheartened and the idea of losing weight can seem impossible. You will tend to give up easily as you do not see any positive results from all your efforts. Hence, it is important to understand some factors that come into play that can affect the true weight loss success.
If you are bored, sad, or lonely, reaching for food can be a way of distracting yourself and it becomes a habit that is hard to break. But if you are aware of how your emotions can impact your weight through bad eating habits, you can break away from the negative and work more diligently towards the positive.
Below are some tips that can help you bolster your self-esteem and your resolve to enhance your chances of weight loss success.
Look For Support
If you have the support of friends and family, the task may be made easier. Tell your loved ones what you are doing, and their encouragement will help you to stick to your goals. If you have friends who are also trying to lose weight, arrange to exercise together and turn to each other for help when things get tough. Alternatively, there may be a weight loss group that will support you in your goals. Research your options well and find the right one for yourself.You do not need to go through losing weight alone. There are plenty of people who undergo the same process and emotions when trying to lose weight; and many are successful.
Stay Positive
Even if your goal weight seems very far away, celebrate the small victories. Acknowledge the things that you are doing every day towards achieving your goal, rather than focusing on the goal itself. Changes don’t happen overnight and it can be de-motivating spending weeks and months aiming for something that remains so distant. Have your partner or support group remind you of the positive things you are doing and keep doing them.
Be Mindful
Meditation can help you to become familiar and comfortable with the workings of your mind, so that when an unpleasant emotion or feeling arises, you can cope with it, rather than reaching for another biscuit as a coping mechanism. Long term, this kind of awareness is likely to have more radical effects on your weight, and general well-being than anything else.
Successful weight loss is not only reliant on exercise and diet. These elements are incredibly important but must be backed up with a supportive attitude.
